This invention relates generally to mounting of electronic equipment. More specifically, embodiments of the invention relate to a mounting rack for electronic equipment which allows ease of installation within a mounting frame, and which allows insertion and removal of electronic equipment installed within the mounting racks to and from the mounting frame without use of tools.
The amount and types of electronic equipment available to consumers has proliferated at an extraordinary rate. One such example is in the aviation industry. Instrumentation, sensors, and other electronic equipment within aircraft, collectively referred to as avionics, are increasingly integrated. The result is that avionics within an aircraft can be customized for a user, by combining multiple “off the shelf” individual avionics devices. Such a customization approach to aircraft avionics installations can be best referred to as modularization of avionics equipment.
Modularization has however resulted in installation problems within individual aircraft, based on the space constraints therein. For example, it is sometimes difficult to access both a front and a rear of an individual piece of avionics equipment. Typically the rear of a piece of avionics equipment is where electrical connectors are located which provide the interfaces needed to communicate between the distinct avionics systems. These connectors mate with mating connectors which are hardwired into the wiring of the aircraft. Conversely, a front of the individual piece of avionics equipment is where indicators, lights, and other human interfaces are located. In some known aircraft installations, maintenance personnel are required to utilize special tools to access the rear connector area to attach or remove avionics to or from their respective mating connectors.
It would be advantageous to provide an electrical equipment mounting system that allows installation of equipment to mating connectors without having to utilize tools specifically designed and purchased for such a purpose.